Michelle Hannemann

Location: De Pere, WI

When children are charged as adults; their parents aren’t notified of their arrest, nor that the police are interrogating them in connection with a crime. Michelle found these facts out the hard way, when her 16 year old high school junior was arrested and charged as an adult with a felony. Based heavily on the statement he provided to the police (without any legal representation), he was waived to adult court and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Michelle’s son was then released on an electronic bracelet, and resentenced in 2016 after appealing his first sentence. Through this hardship, Michelle has learned a lot about the justice system, and how harmful it is for children to be treated as adults. She is now reunited with her son, and actively helping youth who find themselves lost in the justice system like her son once was.